
Class J^Tiddll 

Book , L43 

OopigM? 



The Heart of Art 



AN ECONOMIC SYSTEM OF 






EXPRESSION. 



[FOR SELF-HELP.] 



The best of a book is not in the thought which it contains, but the thought which it 
suggests ; just as the charm of music dwells not in the 
tones, but in the echoes of our hearts." 



O. SWEDE LEWIS. 



The Endeavor. 

Voice-Tone Painting. 

Economy of Expression. 

Extemporaneous Speaking. 
Articulation. 

Physical Culture. 

Personal Magnetism. 

Platform and Stage Effect 



The Result. 

Better Health. 
Voice Volume. 

Distinct Articulation. 
Ready Speaking. 

Correct Reading. 

Powerful Oratory. 

Natural Grace. 



NEW YORK: 
NEVIUS & KANE. 
[893. 



' ' 193.1 



Lf 3 



COPYRIGHT 

BY 

G. SWEDE LEWIS. 
1893. 



Dedicated 

to 

The generous ones 

Who in learning to help themselves 

Will help others 

and 

To all that is 

Unaffected — forceful— truthful — just. 



PREFACE 



Yielding to a request made by some of my dear and thoughtful 
friends, who say they have my interest and my subject at heart, 
I send this little book out to help men and women to become excellent 
in expression; also to acquaint them with the origin and usefuln 

the FINE ART FAMILY. 

Another kindly encouragement is, that whatever imperfections it 
may have, I know it free from " elocutionary nonsense " and untruth ; 
and, furthermore, I know it will enhance, and if need be cultivate an 
appreciation of all that is elevating and inspiring in our unrivalled . 
lish Literature. So if you feel that your mind is not quite prepared to 
clearly understand or fully enjoy the teachings of our standard authors, 
this little mentor of mine is what vou need. You will rind it a frank 
and sincere critic, although, at times, it may seem cutting and harsh. 
Vou will feel its vigorous endeavor to have you cultivate all that is best 
in your own individuality, instead of warping it with impossible imi- 
tations. You are taught that true excellence in Expression must be 
studied from the within, and not from without the human mind and 
heart. You are taught how mysterious, how pregnant, and yet how 
helpful and kindly is the human will. 

It will be noticed that we provide the best literary material for 
certain voice-tone paintings, which are to be made after a time spent 
in what we term the temple, of EXPRESSION. The student is to study 
and use this material as we direct, at the proper time and in the proper 
place, and is to look for the proof of correct work in the Sealed Pocket 
of this book. 

The conceit of the Sealed Pocket, conjoined with the delicate and 



novel effort of painting pictures with the voice, affords a most delight- 
ful intellectual pastime, which ran be indulged in by the individual, or 
In " Reading Circles " and Lyceums. Just how it can be done- may 

be learned from our special remarks on the Sealed Pocket. 

And we would say that our work is not intended as a text-book 
for the class, instead of which it is intended for SELF-HELP. 

It will be noticed that half of the pages are blank, with merely the 
word " Record " at the top of them. This half of the book is reserved 
for a record of the student's work. And much is expected of him in 
this particular, for he is to plan and build a system of his own from 
our suggestions, which do but teach him how to study. And this sys- 
tem of his must be recorded as it grows. And he need not apprehend 
any inability to do as we demand, for the requirements are surely 
within him, and our explanations are clear and accurate enough for 
every purpose. In this way we can take an earnest student close to 
nature, and every statement and theory will prove itself, as we advance- 
along the system of work to an assured success. 

And let me tell him, just here, that there is no easy cushioned 
vehicle, in which he can ride with regal ostentation, to that success 
which is in the Fane of Art. He will have to go over every inch of 
the ground himself, from start to finish. Some have reached the goal 
by persistent plodding. Others have been tripped up by inexperienced 
haste, to rise no more. Some have walked steadily to the reward. 
And a few, by special training, have buckled up their belt of effort, 
and with great, determined swiftness reached the Temple "mid the 
world's applause. 

To an earnest student I can say, " Quick, take my hand, the way 
is known to me, the stumbling rocks and quick-sands are all located. 
Yonder, lifting its crystal dome above the fog and mist of text books, 
is our Fane of Art. Come, let's reach it while vet 'tis day." 



INDKX 



A "BIRD'S-EYE VIEW" OF OUR THEME 15 

THK GYMNASIUM OF EXPRESSION 37 

Breathing and Blood 39 

Picture of the Midriff or Breathing Muscle 41 

Deep Breathing 43 

Articulation 45 

Economy of Breath 47 

Whispering .... 49 

The Lips 5i 

The Tongue 53 

The Muscular System 55 

Physical Exercise Sheet (Sealed Pocket 

Grace and Characterization 57 

THE TEMPLE OF EXPRESSION 61 

Why we present thoughts as pictures 6 3 

Particles of Thought 6 9 

Economy of Voice-Tone 7 1 

Spontaneity 8 1 

Imagination 8 5 

Passive — Active — Complex Selections 87 

Personal Magnetism 9 1 

Economy of Movement 97 

The Compass or Four Points of Gesture (Sealed Pocket* 

Economy of Gesture IQI 

Economy of Face and Eyes 107 

Vowel Vibrations of the Voice. 1 1 1 

Extemporaneous Speaking 115 

A Wealth of Synonyms "7 

Flashing Thought Pictures . * • 7 

The Work-Shop of Orations 119 

The Sealed Pocket 123 

MATERIAL FOR VOICE-TONE PAINTING 127 

How to Study the Material 129 

The Material M5 

Scale fcr Accurate Judgment of Contest 15 1 



A "BIRD'S-EYE" VIEW OF OUR THEME. 



l6 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 17 

NT more suitable preamble to the subject before us can be 
' than an attempt to chronicle the origin of Tin- Fine \ 
toward that endeavor we shall now proceed. 

At the creation of the world, man was placed in the center ol 
istence — in other words, man is a medium that receives inspiration from 
the past and inspiration from the future. This passage of inspiration 
through mankind is known by the name of Feeling-Thought Memory. 
To inspiration we owe the realization of everything in life. That thrilling 
sensation which took shape in you, and which you expressed in p< 
sculpture, voice-tone, with the pencil or the brush, was drawn to you 
from that mystical infinity surrounding us with its countless emotions, 
ideas, visions — awaiting birth to human mind. 

When born they are nurtured bv a Fine Art, until they attain 
perfect development, and are then recognized and appreciated by 
human understanding. 

The Fine Art Family. 

The Fine Arts are seven in number, and are known to us as 
Action, Utterance, Sculpture, Music, Literature, Drawing, Painting- 
They each have an interesting history, and volumes could be written 
of them by genius; but it is the province of this pen merely to trace 
two of them and make the attempt to describe and portray their 
nature. The two in question being Action, the eldest, and Utterance, 
the second born. 

Sculpture is the third of the family, Music the fourth. Literature 
the fifth, Drawing the sixth, and Painting the seventh and young 

Mankind, without this wonderful family, would be as incapable 
of communication, one with another, as are the trees of the fores 



8 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART, 



the flowers of the field. We would indeed be like unto a "moving 
row of magic shadow shapes that come and go." 

Action is in sympathy with the eye, Utterance with the ear, 
there can be no jealous jar to disturb a constant and almost perfect 
companionship. 

Utterance is the most impartial of the family, and dons word 
garments appropriate for all occasions. At times its attire is elegant, 
rich, bright, dazzling, gaudy, impoverished, repulsive, sombre: taking 
on all the hues of existence, and walking in all companies with 
becoming ease. It rules by laws which are never disobeyed, until it 
attempts to command "reading aloud," and then it often has cause for 
rebuke. 

Now these laws should be known to all "readers," and if they 
then willfully break its commandments, retribution should fall upon 
them in the shape of ridicule, which is the most potent of punishments 
in the intellectual spheres. 

The Great Law of Speech. 

The great law with which Utterance governs speech, and some- 
times "reading aloud," and declamation, may be termed economy of 
expression, because the law of Utterance will never permit us to 
emphasize a particle of thought that is generally understood, and that 
after a particle of thought has been made prominent once it is never 
emphasized a second time unless some very important complete thought 
intervenes. Each and every word is a particle of thought, under the 
control of Economy of Expression, which law groups them into the 
perfect mental image or picture, that requires no effort on the part of 
the listener to understand and appreciate. 



20 



RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 21 

Particles of Thought arc divided into two classes: Unde 

Particles and Principal Particles, the latter being what is known as 
emphasis, the former being treated or used as the shading or till:' 
of the thought image or picture. 

It is for the student to clearly understand that when a thought is 
to be transmitted by the voice from mind to mind, it must take the 
form of an image or picture, and the more realistic the image or 
picture the more effective the reader or speaker. A thought can be 
made to pass along the mental horizon, presenting an appearance of 
materialistic truth, by a correct application of this great law of expres- 
sion. Action is also under the control of Economy of Expression, 
when it associates with Utterance. 

The flodel we are to Imitate. 

It has been our aim thus far to reveal the workings of the mind 
in the expression of thought as applied to speech, and by speech 
we mean the spontaneous delivery of thought by the voice. And 
let it be understood that we mean this law to apply to no form of 
utterance other than spontaneity, which is the birth of a thought or 
inspiration. At the birth its nature is pure and perfect as regards its 
outline of expression; but, unless it is fostered by a Fine Art, the 
future introduction will nearly always be attended by affectation and 
untruth. After the thought or inspiration is born, its life is termed 
"reading" or "reciting," and those students desiring to instruct, enter- 
tain, or to influence with it, should prepare themselves by retracing 
its career until they arrive at the state referred to as the birth, and this 
may be accomplished by following the direction which this effort is 
striving to indicate. 



22 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 
The Hodel is Spontaneity. 

It requires no effort to form a correct image or picture with the 
voice, if the production of it is " impromptu "—or as expressed before, 
"spontaneous" — because our Maker has provided for us by allowing 
intuition to apply Economy of Expression. Every one who speaks or 
talks, from the most illiterate to the most cultured of mankind, forms 
the outline of the picture correctly, if they give utterance to a thought 
conceived by themselves, and produced then and there by the voice, 
without having recourse to imitation, pen or paper. 

It will now be perceived that spontaneity is the model we are 
to imitate in order to flash, with the voice, a correct image or thought 
picture, that was conceived by any one, with pen in hand, and which 
has to be given renewed life through the medium of the eye — in other 
words, when we read aloud, or when we speak that which we have 
memorized. Therefore be it distinctly understood that when a per- 
son is delivering an extemporaneous or impromptu discourse, he 
requires no ever present " rules" to make clear his subject. If he has 
a weak voice it can be strengthened. If he has a poor articulation it 
can be remedied. If he is awkward he can be made graceful: but the 
improvement must be apart from the action of discourse. It must be 
done in the gymnasium of expression. The place where words are 
developed, and not thoughts, the place where movements are devel- 
oped and not gestures. 

It is in our power to become so familiar with this great law govern- 
ing Spontaneity, which is the model for our Voice Tone Painting, that 
we can apply its principles to any thought, be it ever so old, and at the 
magic touch it glows with renewed life. Such is the great law circling 
perpetually in our midst, most potent, almost unknown. The exist- 



24 RECORD. 



////:' HE i A'/' OF ART. 

enceofthis law may In- ascertained t<> the satisfaction <>t any one w\ 

will listen to conversation, with the purpose of noting the formation 
the thought and not the sense embodied therein. It will also be 

tained that each and every thought has an individuality, that it is puis 
forth in a blended mass, which we have termed the thought picture. 

A System of Study Necessary. 

And now we must notice those persons who contend that there 
can be no system of study in the art of expression other than "appre- 
ciation " of the thoughts contained in the subject, reposing implicit 
reliance on " impulse " alone to reproduce the thought. If such is 
true Authors should be the most expressive exponents of their own 
compositions. Is this your experience, gentle student ? Ours has 
been to the result that if the majority of Authors had no other medium 
of imparting their thoughts to the world, save by their reading aloud, 
the world would be a heavy loser. 

And remember that these remarks are not applicable to one who. 
upon the conception of a thought, delivers it then and there by the 
voice, without having recourse to pen and paper, for in that case the 
thought is perfectly produced, being fresh from nature, and the word 
nature is but another name for " spontaneity." We are often required 
to listen to an effort made by an " elocuting " reader, or to an inde- 
pendent know-all, untrained one (untrained by himself, herself or any 
one else) trying to express written thought. The voice may be 
grandly melodious and bear with it a charm, but we look in vain 
the thought picture. 

What is the result of a continued effort ? The answer is, Mono- 
tony. The picture is "out of drawing," it is blurred with vivid color- 



26 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 



ml we soon tire of it. But, when written thoughts are produced 

according to the dictates of the great law of expression we have been 

telling you about, they materialize into pictures, that live before us in 
all power and beauty, being so clearly revealed and so comprehensible 
that a child would be impressed with their truth, and like all truth 
resting upon eternal and unvarying principles. 

How often do we hear the advice, " Imitate nature if you wish to 
excel." Very sage advice, but, at the same time, of little use to us, 
because we are not conducted to the model, nor is the model brought 
to us. We are merely told of a model that is "somewhere,"' the pre- 
cise locality uncertain, and in fact unknown. Under such circumstance^ 
the student becomes discouraged and loses faith in the existence of a 
great truth to be imitated. Or, if he perseveres, his creations may be 
shaped according to some individual standard that will offend good taste. 

No Grammatical Rules. 

The study of Utterance is apart from grammatical rules, they 
being in comparison, like unto the manufacturers of artist's materials : 
making color, brushes, canvas, with propriety and perfectness, but can- 
not make the picture until they have studied the laws governing Econ- 
omy and Perspective. So it is with Authors and all others desiring to 
flash thought from mind to mind by means of the voice. They must 
study to that end, and by study we do not mean the act of standing very 
close to one's subject, with a brush in one hand and a microscope in the 
other. We are not to shatter voice-tone into atoms, into fragments. 
and then endeavor to glue them together with " elocutionarv rules.*' 
And do not, we conjure you, enter a labyrinth of "slurs, slides and 
inflections," for it will confound all earnest effort. Xor are we. under 



28 RECORD. 



Til/-: HEART OF ART 

anv rational circumstances, to purchase a stock of ready-made gesture* 

to correspond with thought. 

Place your subject before you in the light of economic apprecia- 
tion, then cultivate the artistic judgment by studying the Principal 
Particles and the Understood Particles of Thought — decide upon them 
— try to blend them out of each other by means of the voice, using the 
Understood Particles as shading; try to "draw" your subject in a 
bold, free outline, and the very effort will give you success. 

If your life work is to be lofty, turn a misdirected attention from 
French dialect exercises, negro dialect exercises, dude dialect exercises, 
Dutch dialect exercises, and even from the dialect peculiar to the Celes- 
tial Empire. Turn your attention from ballet dancing poses when 
walking with thought. And do, please do, turn your attention from 
number 7 and number 9 gestures, to be found in "Madam Lily-Swaying- 
In-The- Wind's science of physical culture," and from all other gestures 
in that dainty and esthetic booklet. Come, come, wash off the paint and 
powder, hand back the cap and bells, leave the circus tent of expres- 
sion, allow that a little nonsense now and then is relished by the best 
of men; but, in kindly justice, infringe not upon the rights of "little 
minds." 

A Word From Action. 

" Elocutionists," as a rule, teach many gestures with the view of 
imparting grace, forgetting, or not realizing, that the proper definition 
of grace in its association with reading, speaking and oratory, is THE 
withdrawal of all awkwardness. We must put our subject in 
front of us, and keep it there with an unassuming disregard of self. 
If we exhibit too many gestures during an expression of thought, the 
audience will naturally observe the gestures at the expense of the 



RECORD. 



77//C HEART OF ART 



thought. And in the same sense too many graceful waves of the 
will be detrimental. 

A Word From Sculpture. 

I, Sculpture, should like to add a word in favor of the Economy 
of Expression which you are to hear so much about in The Temple 
of Expression. A sculptor is standing before a block of marble. He 
looks into the stone, and as he looks he knows that it is not what he 
will add to the stone that will cause it to spring into ideal beauty, it is 
what he takes away. And I should like to have it understood that 
Architecture is partly in my domain and partly in that of Drawing. 

A Word From Drawing. 

As it is geneially known that I am intimately associated with 
Painting, and as Painting figures so conspicuously along this system 
of Expression in which all of our family are so much interested, I need 
only say that I shall do all in my power to make it a success. 

A Word From Painting. 

I, Painting, gladly say that Drawing and myself will lend heartily all 
that is in our domain to the system of expression that it may he made 
clear and useful, and furthermore we are ready at any time for the duty. 

A Word From Music. 

I, Music, should like to venture a word on my own account. Our 
chronicler has forgotten to mention, or perhaps knows very little about 



RECORD. 



77//: HEART OF ART 

"Singing." I should like to state that I claim this accomplishment in 
mv domain, for it emanates more from the emotions than from the intel- 
lect of man. 

A Word From The Dictionary. 

And now it becomes my duty to shield from abase, ridicule and 
contempt, a poor word that has well nigh been ostracised from the lit- 
erary and intellectual coteries of the present day. It stands before us 
now, abject, trembling, pitiful, and answers to the name of " Elocu- 
tion.*' Poor word, you have indeed been much abused: kidnapped 
from your native dictionary by charlatans of both sexes and bandied 
over the country, from north to south, from east to west, presented as 
something unnatural and affected — " a lettered monstrosity." But you 
are not. My dear person, whoever you are, be influenced by our 
judgment, for we are familiar, very familiar, with the word and its 
work. Re-instate the unfortunate Particle of Thought, let it take its 
proper place, and you will find it willing, unassuming, and very useful. 

The Noblest Of The Fine Arts. 

The student has now been given an understanding of the positive 
laws with which expression is governed. , 4 

An earnest endeavor will discover to you, gentle student, that the 
most kindly talisman in the pathway to success is "simplicity," 
pure, beautiful, Godlike simplicity, which is the crowning grace of 
The Fine Arts. 

Of all the accomplishments that adorn the home, the social circle, 
none can be superior to the one that materializes thought and emotion 
on an instrument fashioned by goo himself — the human voice. A.H 



34 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 

instrument of divine perfection, reaching the furthermost heights of 
joy and gladness, or sounding the depths of misery and despair. And 
who of us can express the sense of proud possession, the gratitude we 
should feel for the sublime gift it has pleased our Maker to bestow 
upon us — the power of speech. A power that traces upon the transpa- 
rent air a semblance of the glad creations that spread tinted wings and 
soar into the dome of thought. 

But do we as moral, intellectual beings, realize its full signifi- 
cance ? It seems not, for the generality are so indifferent to its worth 
that the cultivation thereof is considered a needless expenditure of 
time and are content to mumble their way through life in pitiful igno- 
rance of what might have been. 

Young man, young woman, if you but knew the power within 
vour soul — a power capable of idealizing, of reproducing, of express- 
ing on this instrument the pearl, the ruby, the diamond hues of exist- 
ence that have been bequeathed to Literature, you would not be 
admonished in vain. 

It is no wonder that vocal grace and eloquence was esteemed the 
highest and noblest of accomplishments of attainments in those palmy 
days when Grecian beauty ruled the world. And even now the Art 
would be enthroned a reverenced queen but for " indifference," "affec- 
tation," and "charlatanism," which have conspired to work its over- 
throw. In the name of all that is sacred in The Fane of Art we plead 
its cause. 

Gentle student, if you are earnest, thoughtful, plodding, take my 
hand and let me conduct you to the gymnasium of expression and 
from thence, with confident and reverent steps, to the temple. 



THE GYMNASIUM OF EXPRESSION 



3 8 RECORD. 



• THE HEART OF ART. 39 

Breathing and Blood. 

One use of the blood is to convey nourishment to all parts of the 
body. It flows in tubes, which are known as arteries and veins. 
The heart serves as a force-pump for this willing liquid of life. From 
the heart the arteries branch and rebranch in all directions, until they 
end in the delicate capillaries, through the filtering walls of which 
ooze the life sustaining constituents, to be received by the surrounding 
tissues. In exchange for this nourishment, the capillaries give the 
liquid constituents which have been changed, worn out by use, or in 
other words contain no more oxygen, and are poisonous with carbonic 
gas. This poison is sucked through the veins to the heart, from there 
it is driven to the lungs, where it is thrown out or expelled from the 
body by Expiration. After Expiraticn has done its duty, Inspiration 
fills the lungs, from the fresh air, with pure oxygen. The blood, now 
purified, hurries to the heart again, and from thence, through the 
arteries, to every part of the body, to feed and build up the needy 
tissues. 

It is this activity of the lungs, helped by correct deep breathing, 
which does so much to keep the blood in healthful condition, and thus 
lend increased vigor to the whole human system. So it will readily 
be understood how important it is to breathe from the Midriff, which 
squeezes the foul gas from the lower cells of the lungs — cells that 
would otherwise be unemptied. 

This sketch of Breathing and Blood is sufficient for the result we 
have in view, so we will leave this department, look at an illustration 
of this wonderful Midriff, and then go to the department of Deep 
Breathing, where you are to derive much healthful benefit and artistic 
help. 



4° 



RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART, 



— -I 




i. Heart. 2. Lungs. 3. Midriff. 4- Liver. 5. Stomach. 



4 2 



RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 43 



Deep Breathing. 

As you have seen, the midriff is a sheet of muscle dividing the 
lower from the upper part of the trunk or body — in other words, 
separating the thorax or breathing chamber from the abdomen. 

The lungs rest close upon the midriff, which if pressed down- 
ward gives the lungs more space, and thus they inflate with air. 

The lungs are like a damp sponge, which can be compressed 
until little or no air remains within them. Relax the pressure and the 
air rushes into the cells again. 

The air does not leave the lungs until there is a pressure upon 
them. The midriff pressing them from beneath, and at the same time, 
the lower ribs pressing them from the sides combine into an action 
that is known as deep breathing. Any other pressure upon the lungs 
— such as elevating and lowering the collar-bone, upper part of the 
chest and shoulders, will positively injure the throat. 

EXERCISE. 

Inhale slowly and steadily through the nostrils, at the same time 
concentrate the attention on the midriff in an endeavor to flatten or 
press downward. This effort is assisted by protruding the abdomen 
and lower ribs. You have now taken a deep breath. Retain it four 
seconds. Expel it forcibly through the mouth. Repeat several times. 

Inhale quickly through the mouth and nostrils. Retain the 
breath four seconds. Exhale very slowly and steadily through the 
mouth, allowing only the midriff and lower ribs to control the breath. 
Repeat several times. 

After two weeks of practice the breath can be held comfortably 
for half a minute. Never hold it any longer. When using the voice 
take breath at every opportunity, through the nostrils, and always 
keep the muscles of the throat relaxed. 

The simple exercise suggested in this lesson is sufficient to correct 
a faulty method of breathing, and will do much to assist the student 
toward success in the art of expression. 



44 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 






Articulation. 

SRBD SOUNDS PROM WHICH words GROW. 

Practice these seed sounds aloud every day until the articulation 
is perfected. Make an effort to develop the words first and then pick 
out the seed sounds. 



C as in 




r 


as in 


(triii sound) roar 


mdst :is in 


turn dst 


a " 


may 


r 


II 


(soft sound) dear 


rchd 


u 


searched 


a " 
azu " 


arm 
awe 


zu 

y 


a 


was 
you 


ngst 
ngth 


It 

M 


bring'st 
strength 


o " 

00 " 


no 
ooze 


t 

t 


a 
u 


pipe 
met 


ngs 

bdst 


II 
U 


songs 
barb'dst 


a as before i* in air 


k 


a 


back 


rjd 


a 


urg'd 


I as in 


it 


ch 


u 


church 


rkdst 


a 


work'dst 


e " 
e " 


let 
sir 


f 

th 


tl 
(C 


life 
think 


fist 
rnd 


(1 


ripp'lst 
burn'd 


a " 


add 


s 


tl 


hiss 


rvd 


k( 


curv'd 


o " 


on 


sh 


it 


dash 


rtst 


ll 


smart'st 


u " 


up 


h 


It 


horse 


skst 


(1 


bask'st 


00 " 


book 


zvh 


a 


what 


sld 


tl 


nestl'd 


% " 


die 


bd 


u 


orb'd 


thd 


(« 


breath'd 


0f " 


coil 


bdst 


u 


sob'dst 


ths 


U 


breath's 


ow " 


now 


bldst 


tl 


disabl'dst 


thdst 


a 


breath'dst 


/< " 


due 


bis 


it 


fabl's 


tld 


ll 


settPd 


/; « 


web 


br 


II 


brave 


tldst 


II 


settl'dst 


</ " 


had 


dht 


ll 


sadd'lst 


z'dst 


it 


liv'dst 


J " 


g a g 
judge 

wave 


jldst 
gdst 
kldst 


a 
ll 

u 


baffl'dst 
beg'dst 
twinkPdst 


vldst 

zld 
zldst 


a 
ll 
II 


drivel'dst 

dazz'ld 

dazzl'dst 


/// " 


thou 


Idst 


ll 


hold'st 


zm 


II 


chasm 


Z " 


zeal 


mdst 


a 


seem'dst 


zms 


CI 


chasms 


*/j " 


pleasure 


ndlst 


M 


hand'lst 


zn 


II 


ris'n 


« " 


moon 


ngd 


a 


rang'd 


znd 


II 


reas'nd 


m " 


me 


rldst 


ll 


furl'dst 


znz 


II 


seas'ns 


/ « 


all 


n £ 


a 


bring 


midst 


II 


charm'dst 


These exercises, combined with deep breathing, v 


;ill also correct 


any nasal sound 


imperfect: 


ion. 











4 6 



RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART \1 

Economy of Breath. 

Speak every word in the subjoined exercise, before a lighted 
candle, until you can utter every seed sound in every one of the words 
without causing the flame of the candle to waver. 

EXERCISE. 

Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trip- 
pingly on the tongue: but if you mouth it, as many of your players 
do, I had as lief the town-crier had spoke my lines. Nor do not saw 
the air too much — your hand thus: but use all gently: for in the very 
torrent, tempest, and (as I may say) the whirlwind of passion, you 
must acquire and beget a temperance, that may give it smoothness. 
O, it offends me to the soul, to see a robustious periwig-pated fellow 
tear a passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the ground- 
lings; who, for the most part, are capable of nothing but inexplicable 
dumb shows and noise: I could have such a fellow r whipped for o'er- 
doing Termagant; it out-herods Herod: pray you, avoid it. 

Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion be your 
tutor: suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with this 
special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of nature; for 
anything so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both 
at the first, and now, was, and is, to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to 
nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and 
the very age and body of the time, his form and pressure. Now this, 
overdone, or come tardy off, though it make the unskillful laugh, can- 
not but make the judicious grieve; the censure of the which one, 
must, in your allowance, o'er-weigh a whole theatre of others. O, 
there be players, that I have seen play, and heard others praise, and 
that highly, not to speak it profanely, that, neither having the accent 
of christian, nor the gait of christian, pagan, nor man, have so strutted, 
and bellowed, that I have thought some of Nature's journeymen had 
made men, and not made them well, they imitated humanity so abom- 
inably. 



48 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 



Whispering. 

Whisper intensely this selection (or any other one), at the same 
time being careful to produce every seed sound in the poem. This 
exercise will help to strengthen the voice and perfect the articulation: 

THE HEIGHT OF THE RIDICULOUS. 



WROTE some lines once on a time 

In wondrous merry mood, 
And thought, as usual, men would say 

They were exceeding good. 



He took the paper, and I watched, 
And saw him peep within; 

At the first line he read, his face 
Was all upon the grin. 



They were so queer, so very queer, 
I laughed as I would die; 

Albeit, in a general way, 
A sober man am I. 



Me read the next; the grin grew broad, 

And shot from ear to ear; 
He read the third; a chuckling noise 

I now began to hear. 



I called my servant, and he came : 
How kind it was of him 

To mind a slender man like me, 
He of the mighty limb! 



The fourth; he broke into a roar; 

The fifth; his waistband split; 
The sixth; he burst five buttons off", 

And tumbled in a fit. 



" These to the printer," I exclaimed, 

And, in my humorous way, 
I added, (as a trifling jest,) 

" There'll be the devil to pay." 



Ten days and nights, with sleep!'. 

I watched that wretched man, 
And since, I never dare to write 

As fanny as I can. 



Oltver Wena 



5 o RECORD^ 



THE HEART OF ART 51 

The Lips. 

Open the mouth in every direction as far as you can. .Smile 
with the lips tightly closed and then quickly protrude the lips. R» 
rapidly until tired. 

This exercise is intended to correct the fault that many persons 
have of speaking with stiff lips and closed mouth. The practice is 
simple and absurd in appearance; but you will appreciate the value 
and need of it, for a perfect enunciation, when you observe how sel- 
dom the mouth is opened to its utmost limit — " after the pie eating 
age is past, and society elegance forbids us to indulge in a helpful and 
expressive yawn." 

THE LABIALS. 

B as in buttercup. P as in pansy. M as in magnolia. W as in 
witch hazel. V as in violet. Fas in fuchsia. Separate the labials 
from the words, and then blend them in again with as much power as 
you can command. 



RECORD. 



THE HEA RT OF ART 
The Tongue as an Athlete. 

Keep the lower jaw and lips immovable while the tongue is exercising, 
i. Draw the tongue back as far as possible. 

2. Extend it out of the mouth to its extreme length. 

3. Draw it back very quickly. 

4. Flatten it; then with the tip touch the inner side of the lower 
front teeth, and then push it out to its full length, keeping the tip in 
the same position. 

5. Draw back rapidly, flatten the root, then raise the tip perpen- 
dicularly and very slowly toward the roof of the mouth, and then 
resume the original position. 

6. Describe a circle with it, and then touch both cheeks rapidly 
several times. Any similar exercise will do, the effort being to make 
the tongue supple. 

SUGGESTIONS. 

It will be well to brush the tongue with pure white castile soap and water, now and 
then, after the exercise, which should be taken morning and night until eveiy physical 
movement of this great speech maker is mastered. 

Be careful not to go through the exercises more than twice at the first practice, for the 
tongue is very sensitive of any violent use and may give you discomfort. 

Remember that the only way to realize any benefit from these instructions is to obey 
them. 



54 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 



The Muscular System. 

The Physical Exercises, which we require the student to practice 
regularly, are not intended to build an athlete. They do but serve to 
assist the student to high health and grace of movement. Although 
it is believed that every important muscle is brought into play. They 
are for both sexes. They are, with the Four Points of Gesture, a suffi- 
cient preparation for free, firm, graceful movements, that require only 
common sense judgment to group into appropriate gestures for anv 
selection or occasion. 

And remember that important reasons for these exercises will not 
reach our purpose unless the mind is trained to direct them to their 
best endeavor. 

For if the mind is uncertain all the bodily movements will be 
uncertain, for all bodily movements sink their individuality into a 
sympathy with the mind. 

We have admired the perfect poses and movements of an athlete 
in his gymnasium, and have pitied his awkwardness in a drawing- 
room. We have been bewitched by the undulating curves of a societv 
queen at a " reception," and have been inclined to think her a " stick H 
in amateur theatricals. 

It is now time for us to leave our gymnasium, hear what is said 
in the department of Grace and Characterization, and then prepare to 
enter the Temple, where your mind will be instructed by all the 
auxiliaries of physical, mental, and emotional grace. 

The Physical Exercise Sheet is in the Sealed Pocket. 



5<5 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 
Grace and Characterization. 

To the student of Oratory we would say: Your physical ( 
cisea have given you the true principles of natural grace, and you must 

know that all stiff movements are ungraceful. You must know that 
movements must be free, easy, and must have breadth, instead of being 
cramped and crooked. You must know r that the more one expands 
in modest, unassuming development, the more power is posses 
You must know that uncertain movements will belittle the individu- 
ality of a speaker. Now cannot you, acting upon these suggestions, 
do away with all " stock in trade " gestures, and cultivate all that is 
strong, graceful and expressive in your own individuality. wSurelyyou 
can. You know that to "point" with force and correctness, you are 
not to make a Z with your arm, hand and finger. You know that you 
are not to keep your fingers stuck close together as if you had dipped 
your hand in melted glue. You know that you are not to stand on one 
foot and then on the other, as if trying to imagine the rostrum a ship, 
or a " see-saw," or as if trying to imitate the action of the stilted crane. 
You know that if you want to invite a friend to your side you are not 
to turn the back of your hand up and beckon. You know that if you 
want to repel anyone, you are not to extend your hand with the palm 
up. You know that you are not to move your shoulders up and down, 
as if trying to scratch your neck with them. You know that you are 
not to impersonate a wind mill, for if you do, you will only draw water 
from the pitying eyes of your true critic friends. You know all this. 
Then, in the name of all that is sensible, stop allowing yourself to be 
made into a piece of mechanism, to be exhibited to an afflicted people and 
labeled "From the Madc-To-Order school of Elocution and Oratory." 
To " readers," actors and declaimers we would say: You know 
better than to give a "Jack Tar " impersonation the grace of a Ches- 
terfield. You know better than to give a "sot" impersonation the 
dignity of a Brutus. You know better than to give the left hand oi a 
" Richard" the freedom and power of a Hercules. You know better 



5 8 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 

than to give to the drunkard's steps the firmness of a Gladiator. You 

know all these things. If you don't, we will cry you merry. 

We have now sharpened the knife sufficiently to make a clean cut 
between Grace and Characterization, and this is how they fall — the 
Orator must be the perfection of grace and power — the actors, 
"readers" and declaimers are " putty clay " in the hands of their subject, 
to be patted and pinched into all kinds of natural and unnatural forms. 
Being near the subject of actors and actresses, we would like to say 
that some purblind enthusiasts have attempted to provide illustrated 
books for the sale of all the sensitive details of action, and by action we 
mean facial expression, attitudes and gestures. In the stock may be 

found " RAGE," "FEAR," "DOUBT," "HORROR," "DESPAIR." 

And now let us turn down the lights, and tell you a little fairy 
story. Once upon a time there was a young man who bought some 
horror for a tragedy in five acts, and when he used it in the fourth act f 
his eyes rolled so far up into his eyelids that they became fastened, and 
two ink spots had to be put on them for pupils in order to finish the 
performance. Young gentlemen, take warning! Now my young 
" Thespian," just for an experiment, ask some reputable and candid 
actor to let you feel in his pocket, or search his library for such a thing 
as we have been telling you about — and — well — if nothing else happens, 
he will give you to understand that he does not play with paper dolls. 
Please be assured that true worth in " Imitation " can only be had 
from a close observation of external nature itself, vitalized and 
directed by " the within." 

And this is not giving you such a very difficult task, for if you 
keep your eyes wide open, and on the alert, you will find many inter- 
esting subjects and models in a single day. 

Surely our student has drawn a lesson from our talk. 

But, hark! are not those inspiring sounds? They are the silvery 
chimes of invitation to the Temple. Yonder is the way. Thither 
must we quickly go. 



THE TEMPLE OF EXPRESSION. 



62 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF AFT. 



Why we Present Thoughts as Pictures. 

Have you ever asked a great actor, or a great orator, his opinion 
of "Elocution ?" If you have, you well know that the answer is not 
that of favor. Go to our schools, colleges, universities, and see it 
there. — It will be to pity. Take up a " scientific " text book on Elo- 
cution. — It is a mystery. Can you name, in all your circle of friends, 
one who has ever waded to the other shore of it ? 

Why is this ? There must be some reason for it — some cause. 
Search it out, and when found, this is what it looks like — a microscope 
for the study of human thought and emotion. 

Within my hand is a familiar peach stone seed — yonder is the 
garden. I am a magician. Come with me. You see I plant it in 
the reticent and mysterious earth. All the elements of growth are 
gathered near. I look toward Nature. Turn your gaze into the 
earth again. The seed is changing from a hard, unyielding mass, 
into a pulpy promise of life. Now it reaches out a tiny thread, like 
an insect's leg — now another — still another — and again another. See 
it bracing itself in puny glee for the weight it soon will bear. Now 
its head uplifts, as if to greet its God. Now it begins to climb into 
the light where mortals be. Now its head is above the surface — up 
— still up it comes, refreshed by a drink of dew. Its tender form 
begins to spread and harden in the noon-day sun — taller and taller — 
firmer and firmer — stronger and stronger it grows. Now a branch 
shoots out from that young arm — now one from that — and that — now 
branches shoot from those branches, and then other branches from 
those— leaves wake into life — blossoms blush into being — and, lo, the 
fruit is before you. 

Within my mind is a seed thought. Watch it as we have watched 



64 RECORD. 






THE HEART OF ART. 

beside that little peach stone seed, and you will see it sprout — branch 
rebranch — blossom. And, lo, the subject is developed, and the 
result ready for the harvester. 

Within my heart is an emotion. I realize it — I tend it — I give it 
the dew of sympathy to drink — nourish it with kindness. And, lo, 
the weird, unearthly music of the human soul is faintly heard — like 
fairy sleigh bells in a snow bound paradise. 

So if it be true that the seed of truth is within us, then it is true 
that the seed must grow from within us. And if we but enrich intel- 
ligently the dust wherein it is implanted, it will at length yield the 
kindly fruit without any effort on our part to whittle out something 
that looks like a branch to hasten its maturity. 

Imagine the arms of a giant oak on the trunk of a sapling, and 
you have a fair illustration of the gestures of an experienced, fully 
developed orator on the tender form of a human oratorical stripling. 
Gestures cannot be possessed from without and made to look like the 
perfectly natural growth. They must grow with the growth of 
appreciation in the art of expression. And as it is with gesture so it 
is with voice tones, they are to develop from within — this is the pro- 
cess of nature. When the seed of truth was imbedded in our mould 
of clay r , every emotion of the human heart was compounded in that 
little seed. Happy was the writer who said, " He who in earnest 
studies o'er his part will find true nature cling about his heart," for 
that observation has the silvery ring of true knowledge. 

And, to us, it is clearly apparent that when the mind and body 
are free from awkwardness, strain, tension, affectation — and instead 
of which are in a composed, supple, yielding condition, any vigorous 



66 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 6y 

use of the voice in the projection ot thought and emotion will strengthen 
the organ, and thus the danger of overtaxing it is avoided. 

The position of an unnatural method is held by promise of an ex- 
cellence not depending on a steady natural growth from the root of 
expression. We must indeed look to " the within " for perfect excel- 
lence. And, looking within, what do we find ? We find that each 
and every thought has an individuality, that it is pulsed forth, and that 
it is conceived as a picture is conceived — having its Economy and 
Perspective — the mind concentrating on an object, mental or material, 
and but dimly realizing other objects surrounding it. 

But, some mindful one will say, " All thought is not formed into 
pictures." Such a remark would be engendered by a misapprehen- 
sion of what picturing is — for, just as the art of picturing on canvas, 
paper, or any other material, has its characteristics of style, and 
special peculiarities, so also has spoken and written thought. In the 
art of picturing with the pencil or the brush, we have as a result oil 
paintings, steel engravings, water colors, etchings, crayons, charcoals, 
woodcuts, caricatures. 

In the art of picturing with the voice we have the grand model 
oil paintings of a Milton, a Shakespeare. The steel engravings of a 
Bacon. The water colors of a Longfellow. The etchings of a Ten- 
nyson. The crayons of a Dickens, a Thackeray. The charcoals of 
a Browning. The woodcuts of a Cooper. The caricatures of a 
Twain. The cognate principle is surely apparent. 

And so we present thought as pictures because it is the most 
natural, the most comprehensive, the most sympathetic, the most 
forceful, and decidedly the easiest method of becoming a Master in 
The Art of Expression. 



68 



RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 

Our Stud)' then will be an effort to REALIZE that a thought has 
Perspective the same as a picture on canvas, and that we are to i iii. 

its coloring rather than to \\ ILYZE its tints. In justice to the student 
and to pure art, we give the CORRECT DRAWING of the picture — we 
give the eternal and unvarying principles of LIGHT and SHADOV 
ECONOMY and PERSPECTIVE, and leave, in simple faith, the rest to Intui- 
tion. All that a teacher can do, or should attempt to do in the Fane 
of Art is to impart a knowledge of "how to study." It is indeed a 
sorry spectacle to see a student being borne around its sacred precincts 
on the back of his teacher. 

And thus it is that when we reach toward Perfection, our mind, 
heart and body, must all grow together in self-reliance, harmonv, and 
sterling humanhood. Few realize how wonderful is that minute seed 
of truth — how responsive and pregnant it is to the human will. 

The student can now enter with us the inner door of the Temple. 

Particles of Thought. 

Any word is a Particle of Thought. We divide them into two 
classes. One class we term "Understood Particles," the other class 
" Principal Particles." They are not restricted to one class onlv — 
their position in a class being determined by a law which we term 
" Economy of Voice Tone." This law will be fully explained in the 
next department of our system. The Principal Particles are known 
to the general public as emphatic words — the Understood Particles as 
those words that are not emphasized. Our reason for subverting 
words, and dividing them into two classes is that we want to arrange 
or prepare Material for Voice-Tone Painting. 



7o RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 71 



One of these classes is to represent Light, and the other Shadow. 
From this light and shadow we make thought PICTURES WITH THE 

VOICE. 

The italicized words in the following stanza of verse are Principal 
Particles, the remaining words are the Understood Particles. 

I shot an arrow into the air. 

It fell to earth I knew not where. 

You will understand how they take their relative positions after 
you have passed through the Economy of Voice-Tone Department, 
which is the next we invite you to enter. 

Economy of Voice=Tone. 

Economy of Voice-Tone demands that when an idea is generally 
understood it must not be brought into prominence, or in other words, 
emphasized. An " idea " may be represented by only one Particle of 
Thought, or it may be represented by two or more Particles of 
Thought. It ma)' require two or more " ideas " to complete a 
thought, or expressing it differently, to make a thought picture by the 
voice. When two or more of the Principal Particles stard side by 
side in close relationship, we term them Group Principal Particles, 
such as "knew not" in the stanza selected for illustration in the pre- 
ceding department. 

All Principal Particles represent mental objects in the foreground 
of the thought picture. The Understood Particles represent the per- 
spective and shading, or filling in, of thought pictures. For illustra- 
tion, suppose we are under the open sky, and have a view of 

" Lofty trees with sacred shades, 
And perspectives of pleasant jjlail< 



?2 RECORD. 



TJIE HEART OF ART 

In this view the lofty trees with sacred shades are in the foreground 

of the scene, and are like unto the Principal Particles in our thought 
pictures by the voice. 

We here present in full the little poem, part of which we have 
used in the preceding department, for illustration. It will be noticed 
that the material is divided for thought pictures. 

I shot an arrow into the air 

It fell to earth I knew not where 

For so swiftly it flew the sight 
Could not follow it in its flight 

I breathed a song into the air 

It fell to earth I knew not where 

For who has sight so keen and strong 
That it can follow the flight of song 

Long long afterward in an oak 
I found the arrow still unbroke 

And the song from beginning to end 
I found again in the heart of a friend 

It is our purpose to form this friendly little poem into voice-tone 
paintings, and our material for the first picture is contained in the first 
line. And now we shall proceed to group the Particles of Thought 
according to the dictates of the great law, which we have termed 
Economy of Voice-Tone, And remember that this law is co-existent 
with the law of Perspective. To those who do not quite understand 
what is meant by Perspective we would suggest that they look intentlv 
at some object in a room where there are other objects, and it will be 
noticed that the objects surrounding the one being gazed at will 
appear indistinct. We might broaden and deepen the definition, but 



74 RECORD. 



THE HEART or ART 









we have left the observation clear enough for a continuance of our 
theme. If a room is perfectly arranged, (and by room is meant a 
completely furnished room) an Artist's eye can discern in a moment 
wh.it effect is desired, for there is indeed a " freemasonry " in all true 
art. He greets the effect by means of his knowledge of Harmony, 
and Economy of Expression. That room has its Perspective, and if 
that room were reproduced on canvas it would have its perspective on 
canvas. The fine art Literature has its Economy, Perspective and 
harmony of thought, and if those thoughts are reproduced by the 
voice they have their Economy, Perspective and harmony in the 
voice. We recall having seen an oil painting, in a certain picture gal- 
lery, that attracted much attention. Our first impression of it was 
peculiar, and could not account for the feeling until we drew near 
enough to ascertain that it had little or no Perspective. Every tree, 
every rock, every object in the work was finished to such a nicety 
that any part of it could have been cut away and framed with clever 
effect. The work of the many Elocutionists is like that picture — too 
much voice-tone — too much gesture — no Economy — no Perspective. 
And let us impress deeply upon you earnest student, that you must 
avoid too much detail. You must learn to subdue Particles of Thought 
in order to perfectly reveal thought, and especially when they are to 
be for oratorical and dramatic use. Getting quite close to the observa- 
tion just made we will say — that when a thought comes to us it is 
naked, and if we do not immediately cast the mantle of literature over 
its form it will bound out again into the Great Unknown, perhaps to 
visit us no more. How beneficent is Literature with its wealth of 
folds and drapery, and how all glad and beautiful thoughts do love to 
don its garments of w r ords, and to the music of human speech dance 



?6 RECORD^ 



THE HEART OF ART. 

out among mankind. Hut thoughts arc not always kindly used, for 
we have noticed them being dragged into mortal ken, and immediately 
half smothered by Literature's heaviest folds. So let us use all bad 
thoughts as slaves, all pure thoughts as kindly captives that have left 
a happier sphere as missionaries to bless us here. And now we must 
leave the fanciful and return to our picture making by the voice. 

You must, companion student, indulge your guide's glances now 
and then from the straight pathway of our subject, for there is so 
much tempting loveliness to the right and to the left. 

Well, we are again before our intellectual easel, and the promised 
picture is to be made. " I shot an arrow into the air " is the material 
for our picture. Fix your attention on " arrow," for it is the Principal 
Particle, and is like unto that object in the room we were telling you 
about, all the other words are thus subdued. But, you may ask, 
" why are they subdued ? " They are subdued because they are 
Understood Particles, and have no claim to prominence. We will 
now show you why they have no right to a front place in the picture, 
and why,they are only entitled to the privilege of being used as shad- 
ing or filling in of the picture. " I " is an Understood Particle be- 
cause only one person is concerned in the recital or production of the 
poem — " shot " is also one because if an arrow is made to go into the 
air the inference is that it was "shot" there — "into" is also one 
because if an arrow is shot, and the air is spoken or written of in con- 
nection with the act of shooting the said arrow, it is not supposed that 
the said arrow would go over the air, or under the air, but would, to 
the best of our knowledge and belief, go "into" the air. " Air" is 
an Understood Particle by the same economic reasoning. u The " 
is also an Understood Particle because it was not placed there by the 



7 8 RECORD. 



THE HEAR1 OF ART 79 



poet to suggest more than one atmosphere or air, on the same prin- 
ciple that would cause us to say, "Of all men he is tub man." 

Our second thought picture is contained in the second line. " It 
fell to earth I knew not where." And just here we will pause long 
enough to say that a thought picture may have large dimensions, and 
it may require several lines or more to finish it completely. After a 
little study you will intuitively separate and individualize the pictures. 
So you need not feel any incompetency on that account. 

In the second picture you are to fix your attention on the Group 
Principal Particles " knew not," the remainder are Understood Parti- 
cles according to the law of Economy and Perspective, which we are 
using so freely for your benefit. " Where " is an Understood Particle 
for the reason that the arrow would naturally fall some where — " fell" 
is one also because if an arrow goes to the earth after being shot into 
the air it would fall there. " Earth " is of the same class because if an 
arrow falls, science tells us that it will be toward the earth. " It " 
" to," and " I," can now be easily accounted for from our reasoning in 
the first picture. The complete poem is presented in the next depart- 
ment. All the Principal Particles are made prominent so that they can be 
recognized, and the student must reason out for himself w r hy and how 
they take their relative positions in the pictures. In the Sealed Pocket 
of this book the pictures contained in the poem are explained on a 
proof lesson sheet. So after you have conscientiously endeavored to 
study them out, you are privileged to go to the said proof lesson sheet, 
which is in an envelope, on the outside of which is marked the name 
of the poem, the same being " the arrow and the song." We 
earnestly ask you to read the whole book through before opening the 



8o RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 



Scaled Pocket, for there are other proof lesson BheetS, tO be used at 

the right time and plaee in the system of work. 

We will now pass into the department of Spontaneity. 

Spontaneity. 

Well, here we are in the department of Spontaneity, one of the 
most important in the system of work. Important because herein is 
the model for us to imitate. In our " Bird's-eye view r " we gave quite 
a full description of it, but feel the need of taking you up to it in its 
own department. This model was made by Nature, in proof of which 
come with me and listen to the very first conversation you have with 
some one besides your " guide." Ah, there comes a young lady friend 
of yours. There she is, across the street. Now, young friend, you 
are to go over to her, speak to her, and be sure to remember how she 
outlines, or as it is generally expressed, " emphasizes " the very first 
remark she makes to you. I shall wait here until you return. . . 
. . . Ah, here you are at last. Well, what did she say to you? 
You say that her first remark was " You have not been to see me for 
a long time, and I do wish you would come." And that " do " was the 
only word prominent. Now, don't you perceive that the remark was 
produced according to the dictates of the great Economic law you are 
being made acquainted with, the law governing spontaneity. When 
the young lady uttered that thought she was fully conscious that you 
had not been to see her for some time, and she could also rely on your 
memory, so there was no use of veiling or blurring the sense by a 
voice-tone repetition of what was already known. The invitation was 
given, perhaps for the second time, so the supposition is that she 
^wishes you to visit her. " Do " is made a Principal Particle because 



8 2 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 



she wants you to understand that she DOES wish you to come, notwith- 
standing what you or others may have thought or done in the prem 

Is not this a model of simplicity? and notwithstanding her society 
affectation, how clearly it revealed itself. You can but answer, " \ 
And the most remarkable observation in this department is, that the 
model is before us all the time when thought is being delivered sponta- 
neously. 

Why, we have but to listen to our own voice, in conversation, to 
realize the presence of the model. 

So you will now understand that when Nature wants to transmit 
thought from mind to mind by the human voice, she does it by a law, 
which we have termed economy of voice-tone. And when we 
*' readers," reciters and memorized oration orators, want to transmit 
thought in imitation of Nature, we must use the same law. 

The little poem promised you in the preceding department is here 
outlined correctly for your benefit : 

" I shot an arrow into the air — 

It fell to earth I kne^u not where — 

For so swiftly it flew the sight 
Could not follow it in its flight. 

I breathed a song into the air — 

It fell to earth I knew not where — . 

For who has sight so keen and strong 
That it can follow the flight of song. 

Long long afterward in an oak 
I found the arrow still untroke — 

And the song from beginning to end 
I found a^ain in the heart of a friend." 

The italicized words of the poem are Group Principal Particles. 



«4 



RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 

We will now pass into the imagination department, which con- 
tains much that will be valuable to the zealous student. 



Imagination. 

Imagination is inseparable from an appreciative study of the Fine 
Arts, and is especially useful in the " placing " of a reading, or decla- 
mation in any form. 

For instance, suppose you purpose reading for the edification and 
entertainment of an audience, Longfellow's gentle poem entitled 
" Footsteps of Angels." 

After becoming familiar with it, your first effort toward fine effect 
must be to have your imagination create an ideal apartment for the 
poem to issue from. 

You should have "placed " or fixed in your mind the appearance 
and details of the room into which " the departed v are to enter. 
Decide upon a door there, and a door over there, and a piano in that 
corner, a table near the center, the "depressed and lonely " sitting on 
a certain kind of chair, at a certain distance from the "fitful firelight." 
In brief, cultivate the imagination, and you will be able to live the poem 
through, instead of mixing it up with a new spring dress over there, 
or a " knobby " necktie just in front of you. 

This development and concentration of the imagination becomes, 
at length, a second nature to you, and when you are ready to read or 
recite it responds to your need with an alacrity that always means suc- 
cess. It is an ignorance of the laws in this department that causes 
many actors and actresses to come before the audience as if to meet 
an engagement with some particular nail, plank, or trap-door of the 



86 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 



Stage, instead of enacting a transition from one scene or situation to 
another in the play. 

All selections, without exception, must be studied thoroughly 
before they are entitled to the high place of occupying the undivided 
attention of an audience. 

Our next step will take us into a department where we will learn 
how to discriminate among selections, that we may know when to use 
Action, and when not to use Action. Some very important lessons 
will be learned there. Lessons that are usually unknown or neglected. 

Passive, Active, Complex Selections. 

We are here to discriminate among those selections that need 
Action, those selections that do not need Action, and those selections 
that require both. 

For that purpose we divide all selections into three classes. One 
class we term Passive, one class Active, one class Complex. 

In the first mentioned class are those selections that must not be 
impersonated — for instance, where a scene represents an ailing man 
on his couch, and reference is made to his falling back on the pillows. 

Now it is impossible to give such a selection a semblance of truth 
and reality by impersonation, unless all the auxiliaries are on the plat- 
form, couch, pillows, and all. And yet we have often seen it attempted. 
Such a selection can only be given with good taste, common sense, and 
artistic judgment, by the voice and sympathetic expressions of the 
face. 

It is of course understood that on the STAGE, such a selection can 
be acted out, for there all the effects are made by impersonation. 



88 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 

In the second class arc those selections which IMP] i .. £or 

instance, the " Anthony Oration." 

In this the student must personify, as he must in all seiectioi 
like character. 

In the third mentioned class are those selections that combine the 
characteristics of the two classes previously mentioned. 

These suggestions are sufficient to warn the student against any 
mistake that would have come to him. 

The class in which a selection belongs is now too apparent for 
further instruction. 

And be sure to have every selection appropriate for the place 
and occasion. 

You would not think of introducing a loud-mouthed brass band in 
your Drawing-Room to entertain your friends. Then be sure to 
choose your Elocutionary entertainment in accord with the same prin- 
ciple. 

We have heard shrieking, hair-lifting declamations in parlors that 
would " out-herod " the aforesaid brass band. 

It is such very bad taste that has given to Elocution the unsavory 
reputation it will have to bear until known far and near in its true 
character, which is that of an elegant and useful accomplishment. 

From this department we open the mystical door of Personal 
Magnetism. 



9° 



RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 
Personal Magnetism. 

What is personal magnetism? 

A forceful attraction. A subtle power. A blessing, and Rome- 
times a curse. 

Can it be possessed? 

It can be both possessed and developed, if the instructions that 
follow this affirmative answer are obeyed. Our first definition of 
personal magnetism is unselfishness. Our second definition is SELf 

CONTROL. 

Under these two heads an attempt will be made to disclose the 
mystery of its acquirement. 

Let no one be deluded into a dreamy belief that it can be absorbed 
from some bewitched caldron of the black art. We have heard sug- 
gested that it is some kind of a mixture of tinted fire, " vril," electricity. 
and other agents, both real and imaginary. And some attempts have 
been made to analyze it in that theory. What folly. Experiments and 
hopes of that kind are like the zealous chemist who struck a match 
and then reached for his magnifying glass, that he might prove to him- 
self that the flame was fire. 

And would you, small man, attempt to know the compound of the 
divine fire of life? Would you in your infinitesimal pusilanimitv? 
attempt to rend the veil, and with purblind audacity, strive to pry into 
the Infinite for its Godhead laboratory? No, no! 

The current of Personal Magnetism traverses a wire, one end of 
which is in the heart of man, the other in the battery of divine CARE 
and love. Ye are the light of the world. 

And so walking in the light of knowledge, we would say that if 



RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 

you want to know and sway the hearts of men. you must know the 
LANGUAGE of the heart. And that Language can only be learned at 

the feet of Unselfishness. Unselfishness — a commonplace word, but, 
O, what Heavenly Magic it contains. 

Look deep into the character of any truly great preacher, orator, 
actor or actress, and you will see a generous, sensitive, responsive, 
and sometimes, too liberal heart and mind. 

Listen to that eloquent divine. See the moving pictures from his 
busy brain. A magnificent machine — a dazzling man. He does not 
know the language of the heart. The eye admires, the ear applauds, 
but the poor human heart is dumb and comprehends not. 

O, splendid man, believe with us that there is within you a spark 
of true greatness. It is precious, nurse it, fan it, and when it is aglow, 
gather, with tender solicitude, your benumbed words around its sacred 
warmth, and at your bidding they will leap like giants to the side of 
man. See them battling for the right with strength divine! 

The deduction is that man must be in sympathy with man. 
you would be kingly among your fellow kind, wear it as a crown. 

The Scepter of a kingly man is Self Control. 

We here divide the quality uf Self Control into two parts, Moral 
and Physical. The need of Moral Self Control is easily felt when we 
but consider that a man without moral self-respect is his own worst 
enemy. 

Physical Self Control now claims our attention. 

This being a very important part of our subject, for " Physical 
Self Control" is a most subtle condenser and conductor of personal 
magnetism, inasmuch as it allows the force burning within us to accu- 
mulate, and then burst forth with redoubled power when needed. 



94 RECORD. 






THE HEAR1 OF ART 95 

In order to suggest the benefit of certain Economic Physical 1 

cises, which we present later on, we draw your attention to that perfectly 
finished orator about to speak. Before he came to the Hall his deli- 
cate nerves were pricking his quickened spirit, like so many needle 
points, for he is about to make a great effort. Notice him now on the 
rostrum as he advances toward that " sea of faces." How self con- 
tained he is. Look at the poise power of that head, see his movements. 
He is not walking with his legs alone, but with the whole man, no 
uncertain, uneasy movements of the hands or eyes. 

He does not give us the impression as he advances that he is 
making for some particular spot on the platform, instead of this you 
feel, you know that his objective point is the Audience, and the audi- 
ence unconsciously greet him with sympathetic favor. He is now 
becoming a part of the audience by reason of his self control. 

So perfect is his method that you do not notice his deferential bow, 
but intuitively discern that you have been greeted, and are preparing 
to entertain his every thought. And look, while the audience is 
fluttering into silence, his well open eyes by a few steady sweeps are 
placing the Magnetic Wires in position. 

They are ready. Action and Utterance are now to do their full 
duty. Thoughts become illumined pictures flashed into the heart and 
mind of that great audience, gay pictures, heroic pictures, pathetic 
pictures, witty pictures, all kinds of pictures, and they are painted with 
such consummate skill that they seem a vivid reality. 

He is done. 

Hours have seemed moments. 

He has scored a great success indeed, for he has mastered time. 
He has held in check the fleeting moments, while his thoughts, like 



9 6 



RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 97 

meteors, Hashed across the sky of mind. And would you know the 
secret of his physical method? Then come with us to the depart- 
ments — Economy of Movement, Economy of Gesture, Economy of 
Face and Eyes, Vowel Vibrations of the Voice. 

Economy of Movement. 

We are to learn in this department one of the most difficult 
acquirements in the Art of Expression, it being known as bodily 
repose. In a lecture, oration, reading or in stage effects, you are never 
to move from one position to another position unless some especial 
emphasis or effect is desired. Before moving you are to rest your 
weight on your foot which is at the back of you, and then step for- 
ward with the foot which is in advance — and please do not make out 
of yourself a " sinking back on foot machine," but remember that this 
movement is only a principle, and as such must grow into your own 
individuality. A finished Actor, or a perfectly finished Orator, will 
always use this economic movement, for it enables him to preserve 
with ease a steady balance that is very helpful to himself and very 
attractive to an audience, although the audience never looks into the 
method that causes the effect. 

We all know that to cross the legs, and particularly when stand- 
ing, is awkward to the eye. Therefore it follows that if the first 
step we make is done by crossing the other leg it must be an awkward 
movement; for you must know that the first step from any position 
is the one that is especially noticed from an audience, and the one that 
usually determines grace. Of course, after you move there is a con- 
tinuous uniform movement of both legs that takes away the awkward- 
ness we object to. When you come to a standstill, if convenient, have 



8 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 

the foot and leg from the audience in advance, and especially if you 
arc a P V i 'nc i 'pal 'in the foreground of a stage picture — or when alone 
before an audience. 

Make it a rule never to cross the legs at the first step no matter 
in which direction you are going, and this can be done if you don't for- 
get that you can try ! 

These are the true principles of ballanced movement, and you 
should study and practice them as they deserve, for they have been 
thoroughly tested and, as we remarked before, can be noticed in the 
method of any perfectly finished Actor or Orator. 

Exercises for Repose. 

Practice sitting stone-still until you can remain so for ten or fifteen 
minutes, eyes immovable. Also standing still with eyes immovable. 

Vary and enlarge upon these exercises as your good judgment 
may direct. Any similar exercise will help you to be easy, graceful, 
firm and confident. 

We want you to use your brains with all the suggestions and exer- 
cises that we give, and for that reason, as you know, we have left half 
of the pages of the book blank, that you may originate, systematize and 
keep a record of all the work you do. The very effort of so doing 
will help you toward success. 

Our next step will take us to the Economy of Gesture depart- 
ment. 



RECORD. 



» ■ • 



THE HEAR T OF ART 101 

Economy of Gesture. 

Within the Sealed Pocket is an illustration of what we term the 
compass or four points of gesture, showing the correct and incor- 
rect position of the hands when viewed from an Audience. Within 
this compass is made all the gestures suggested by Action, the Fine 
Art. 

It will of course be understood from our remarks in the Gymna- 
sium of Expression that the student is not to study gesture as if he 
were modeling them from and for an oratorical automaton, but should, 
within the said compass, assert his own individuality. But, some one 
will exclaim, " Suppose the student has little or no individuality what 
is he to do then?" The answer is, " Young man, you can study this 
subject and we will be glad to have you improve yourself, but never 
expect to excel as an orator, because that profession is reserved for 
the leaders of mankind, and while you can be useful to men it must be 
in some other sphere of life." 

But, uniting the broken thread of our theme, we say with all con- 
viction that if the gesture positions are correct at the extreme end or 
length of the "compass or four points," and the natural grace acquired 
in the Gymnasium of Expression be permitted to declare itself, the 
student will be a model of all that is best within himself and the ges- 
tures will all fit him and he will not appear to be wearing somebodv 
else's effects. The student is to train himself in the "compass or four 
points," and the result from that practice will be surprising and full of 
success, and it is of course understood that a slight deviation is allowed 
from the exact position of the hand, as we give it in the illustration, but 
the principle must remain. In other words, we are not to thrust 



IO , RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 10 



upon an audience any view of our anatomy that would appear clumsy 
or ungainly, or that, would attract especial attention — the exception, 
as we have said, being in " character " work. As we pointed out in 
our " Bird's-Eye View," even too much physical grace will conceal 
the thought, and all persons must know that the thought should be 
the first consideration. 

Yes, do feel with us, that all manner of gesture, all manner of 
utterance are one and all but the heralds and interpreters of Regal 
Thought. 

And now an important gesture consideration confronts the stu- 
dent. It is this: When you have used a gesture to make clear a 
thought picture never remove the said gesture until the said thought 
picture has been completely presented or produced. This is in con- 
tradistinction to the popular error of making a gesture and then with- 
drawing it before the said thought picture is finished or produced. 

This " holding " the gesture will be a little difficult of acquisition 
at first, for the proclivity, through bad habit, is to fall short of full 
power. The philosophy of the foregoing remark lays in the fact that 
if the gesture is withdrawn before the thought picture is finished, the 
audience will unconsciously follow the gesture, at the same time half 
way supposing that the thought picture must also be finished and the 
result is an uncertain effect, whereas if the gesture is held the attention 
of the audience is held. 

The next time you hear an Orator that "sweeps all before him " 
with his eloquence, you will observe the importance of our observa- 
tion. He will never fail to hold a gesture until the picture is complete, 
and will then prepare to flash another with like effect. This also 
appertains to the actor. And let us impress upon the student with all 



104 



RECORD, 



THE HEART OF ART, 



earnestness not to make a gesture unless it is needed by the thought. 
When a gesture is especially distinctive, no matter if it be the perfec- 
tion of symmetrical beauty, it is WRONG, for it usurps the thought. 

EXERCISES. 

The student is to practice the following exercises for Repose and 
Power of gesture. 

ist. Hold the arm immovable in each of the "four points of the 
compass" until it can be held with ease for several minutes. During 
the exercise the body, head, eyes and face must also be immovable. 

2d. Hold an object, say a five cent piece, between the thumb and 
little finger, in each point of the said compass for several minutes in 
each of the said "points." 

Then between the thumb and third finger, then between the 
thumb and second finger, then between the thumb and first finger; 
all to be held the same length of time and in the "four points of the 
compass." You may be unable to hold it more than half a minute at 
first but practice will accomplish what we desire. The eyes are to 
look steadily at the object. 

3d. Tense the arm from the shoulder to the wrist in each of the 
"four points." Tense the hand in each of the "four points" without tens- 
ing the arm. Bend the arm in each of the "four points" and tense it 
from shoulder to wrist. Bend the arm in each of the "four points" and 
tense the hand, keeping the arm relaxed. The tension need only last 
a few moments, and remember that you can originate other exercises 
that will have the same effect. 

These exercises, in conjunction with those given you in the Gym- 
nasium of expression are for the purpose of giving you a repose that 






xo6 RECORD 



THE HEART OF ART n>; 

will allow the force passing through you to accumulate. Perhaps 
what we mean can be illustrated from an observation we have made 
of men bursting into a fearful passion. At first they are paralyzed into 
a stony stillness that enables the rebel force running along the nerves 
to gather awful strength and then be hurled out by the electricity 
within. When the force has spent itself weakness is the after effect 
and then strength comes again with self control. An intense effort of 
the orator has a similar effect. It is for the student to control himself, 
to master his every passion, to economize his inward and outward 
strength, to judge how and when best to expend it, and he will then be 
a power in the land. Of course it is understood that the exercises are 
intended for both of the hands and arms. 

We now enter the department of Face and Eyes. 

Economy of Face and Eyes. 

This is one of the most interesting departments in the systtm of 
work, and is of particular use, not only to the student of Elocution 
and Oratory, but also to the "society woman and the society man." 

Do you know the secret of having a truly expressive face ? 

If you do not, come with us to Madame Esthete's High Tea. Ah, 
we are there. Do you notice that young lady with the face working 
in all directions — eyes down, eyebrows up, eyes up, eyebrows down ? 

She thinks that she is giving unmistakable evidence of an ex- 
pressive face. Her friends are so accustomed to those contortions 
that if she were to stop practicing that " complete system of facial 
expression," they would be like the sleeping miller who always wakes 
up when the mill stops. 

Take this large pair of mental opera glasses — 



io8 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 109 

Now come with us to the Theatre. The greatest legitimate 
comedian of the day will make his entrance in a few moments. 

He is said to have the most expressive face in the profession. 

Ah, there is his cue. Here he comes. Do you notice that his 
face has the repose of a statue ? He speaks. His lips hardly move. 
His eyes perfectly immovable. He is waiting for an effect. Now is 
the time for it — everybody in the audience saw that eyebrow lift — 
they were all surprised into that laugh we hear. 

It is almost time for another effect. "Just look at his mouth; it 
is too comical for anything," I hear some one say. And my dear 
student he has only lowered one corner of it. His face is again a 
background — an interval of repose. " Look, look, did you ever see 
such a remarkably expressive face ? " Why, my student, he has only 
moved his eyes. And now hearken to me; that man's wonderful 
success comes from his art of repose — in the Economy of Face and 
Eyes. 

He never wastes an expression — he never wastes a gesture — he 
never wastes a voice-tone — he never wastes a movement of any 
kind. 

The face of one of the most convincing temperance lecturers that 
ever lived, has been described as a canvas on which was flashed every 
emotion of the human heart. One secret of that power has just been 
revealed. 

EXERCISES. 

1st. — Never allow your face to move until an expression is wait- 
ing to be served. 

2d. — Never allow your eyes to move until a thought picture has 
been finished. 



IIO RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART m 



3rd. — Practice some passionate selection, without moving a 
muscle of the face or eyes, other than those of the mouth. 

4th. — Practice slow, steady sweeps of the eyes, in all directions. 

5th. — Practice looking steadily at objects until you have acquired 
the power to hold a glance with perfect ease for several minutes. 

It is wonderful how the eye can be controlled by regular and 
intelligent practice. A student can dilate the pupils of his eyes to 
twice an average size, with little effort, from the use of these strength- 
ening exercises. Thus the eye can be darkened at will. Anyone 
with fairly good eyes can do this by a concentration of the will on 
them, after they have practiced the said exercises for several weeks. 

Of course you are not to overdo any of the exercises. When 
any unpleasant sensation is felt the eyes should be rested. 

It is well known how the eyes strengthen at sea, where the effort 
is being constantly made to distinguish objects on the horizon. 

We trust that you will often visit this department. 

From here we go to the department entitled Vowel Vibrations of 
the Voice. 

Vowel Vibrations of the Voice. 

Vowel sounds are divided into two classes for this purpose, and 
may be termed the Electric and Shadow classes. I and E being the 
former, and A and O the latter. To the Electric we impart bright- 
ness, and to the Shadow class, shade. Two electric vowels when 
immediately together, as in the word "believe," take the quality of a 
shadow vowel; or when electric and shadow vowels stand side by side 
as in the word " fair," we are to yield the electric to the shadow tone. 
So it is now understood that electric vowels are only given brightness 






ii2 RECORD. 



THE II EMIT OF ART 113 



when they stand alone, as in the words "light," "better." What is 
meant by brightness may be learned from observing how the most 
fascinating voices in conversation qualify the vowels referred to in the 
Principal Particles and not in the Understood Particles of Thought. 
Also notice the shadow class under the same conditions. The vowel 
vibrations are not to be observed in the Understood Particles — for if 
such is the case a drawling, unnatural effect is plainly perceptible. 

It will be well for the student to know that it is to the healthful- 
ness of these vowels and the perfect formation of the thought pictures 
that we owe the fascinating voices that are heard now and then in our 
midst. 

The student is to make a list of fifty words, alternating the value 
of the vowels, as mentioned, and will practice them regularly once a 
day. 

You are now ready to receive a few suggestions on Extempora- 
neous Speaking. 



EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING 



Il6 RECORD. 



THE II EMIT OF ART 



A Wealth of Synonyms. 

There are numerous books of synonyms extant. The student is 
to possess one of them. They will average about six synonyms to a 
" set." The student is to memorize at least ten " sets " every other 
day. During the interim he is to compose a sentence with the first 
synonym of the " set " in it. And then a sentence with the second 
synonym in it, and then one with the third synonym in it, and then one 
with the fourth, and so on until the complete "set" has been made 
use of. 

After the sentences have been composed, they should be memor- 
ized, and spoken quite loud, with due regard for the Economy and 
Perspective of Expression. 

This practice, with that of reading aloud from standard authors, 
will surely give one a wealth of synonyms. 

The next department is similar to this. 

Flashing Thought Pictures. 

This is an exercise arranged for the purpose of helping to make 
a ready speaker. 

i st. The student is to write out, on separate slips of paper, the 
first set of synonyms, and is to place them, blank side up, on a table or 
desk. 

2d. He is to intermix, and after, draw them one by one. notic- 
ing the synonyms as they are drawn, and is to compose instantly a 
sentence for each synonym — with the said synonym in it, and is to 
speak it (the sentence) aloud. 



„8 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 

3d. lie is in this way to use all the sets of synonyms as they 
issue in regular order from the exercises in preceding department. 

Exercise in a standing position. 

Impromptu debating, when the student is familiar with the subject 
for debate, will be of much benefit — and if you don't know anything 
about the subject, have the good taste to remain silent, even though 
your vocabulary could be bound in calfskin, and the title read — " The 
largest, fattest, and most gorgeous words of English Speech. V 

You must now put on your mental apron, bring good judgment as 
a saw, application as a hammer, confidence as a square, earnestne 
a plane, sympathy as a level, and enter with us the Workshop of 
Orations, where you will find a few well known ideas for lumber, and 
a few facts for nails. We hope that you will soon erect many useful 
and ornamental superstructures from the apprenticeship. 

The Workshop of Orations. 

Almost as a mechanical fact we must have a foundation on which 
to place our remarks in this department as well as in other departments 
of our system of work. 

So we will suppose that you have conceived a subject, and it is 
your intention as a preparation or as a result to write out the oration, 
commit it to memory, and then speak it. Suppose it is " The Future 
of Our Country." The plan should be to "read up" the historv of all 
other countries, as well as your own, so that the oration will not be 
like the Tower of Pisa. And you will notice that I am trying to prac- 
tice what I preach by only taking one half of the book for my argument. 
And while you are applauding my good intentions, I will ask our fair 
minded and well meaning clergymen, if it be honest to libel the The- 



120 



RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART n\ 

atre, and impute to it all manner of evil, when the detractor has never 

even crossed the threshold of a pure dramatic homer Let us, in all sin- 
cerity, have orations and sermons, both extemporaneous and memor- 
ized, but let them be generous, and full of truth. Some of the most 
impressive sermons that the writer has ever listened to were received 
from the stage. And he has often studied the audience during some 
fearful lesson of passion, to see the lasting force with which it spoke to 
blanched faces and repenting souls. If you go very close to any pro- 
fession, you will discover that part of it is under glass. So, my dear 
student, be careful how you throw pebbles. 

You are to " feed " for your subject, in company with the repre- 
sentatives of good judgment, on the most wholesome authorities you 
can get. And you are, during this " feeding, " to note down in writing 
any suggestions or knowledge that can be used to strengthen you. 
You are not to eat too much of the provisions of your subject, but you 
can satisfy your appetite within the bounds of decency and comfort. 

You are now to sit down and digest all that you have fed upon, 
and when it is assimilated you are ready for more work. 

The " more work " is for you to arrange all the " representatives" 
in order of manifestation. Each one of them must sav somethinj 
after they have all finished their arguments, or told some anecdote or 
tale, you are to elect them so that the strongest and most expn 
ones will be toward the close. One or more of these " represental 
may present beautiful images or word paintings. If they do, be sure 
to give them places next to clear, logical thoughts, for the contrast will 
be helpful to both. 

During this meeting and talk of the M representatives "' you are to 
remember that there are two ways of forming an oration. (> 



i22 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 

to subdue words in order to perfectly reveal the thought. The oiln \ 
is to subdue the thought in order to give the words a chatk 

We hope that the former will commend itself to you as the better 

method. 

And now a few suggestions to memorize an oration. This part of 
the work should be done standing, walking, or both. And be very 
careful to memorize it accurately from the moment the thoughts leave 
the paper to enter your brain. Because if you do not you will in all 
probability have a few " spectre words." And those uncanny things, 
let me tell you, will affright you on all occasions, for they will try all 
manner of shapes to make you uncertain and fearful of their existence. 

If you would be above " memorized orations,'' let it be clearly 
understood that powerful impromptu discourse is a courageous issue 
from the pains of careful preparation, and not the school-boy dream of 
getting something from nothing. 

We will now leave the workshop, go outside and have a quiet 
little chat about the Sealed Pocket. 

The Sealed Pocket. 

The Sealed Pocket is not to be opened until the entire book has 
been read. 

Within the pocket will be found Proof Lesson Sheets, in envel- 
opes, to be opened as the system of work directs, at the proper time, 
and in the proper place. In the pocket will also be found an illustra- 
tion of our compass or folk points of gesture. Also a Physical 
Exercise Sheet. 

The relationship of the Sealed Pocket can be made into a health- 
ful game or contest, by reason of the happy intellectual effort it affords 



RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. 125 

— which is an attempt to form the literary material we provide into 

Voice-Tone Paintings; and by this time you know just what we mean 
by Voice-Tone Painting. The effort, although at first perplexing, 
will be full of unique interest, which finally gives place to intense grat- 
ification, as you realize that you are becoming an authority in the Art 
of Expression. So we would suggest that " your coterie " use the 
material of Voice-Tone Painting, according to the instructions in the 
department of "How to Study the Material," and we know that much 
chaste enjoyment will be the result. 

And now that you know the particulars of the Sealed Pocket, we 
can go where the " material " is kept, and listen to a concise and 
clearly defined lecture on " How to Study the Material." 

After the lecture you are handed the material, and then you have 
a rare opportunity to do some original work. 



MATERIAL FOR VOICE-TONE PAINTING 



i 2 S RECORD. 






THE 111-: l R T OF I A' r. - 

How to Study the Material. 

The materia] which we offer for voice-tone painting is arrai 

in divisions, each division being numbered and named, bo there can be 

no mistake made when the student goes to the sealed pocket for final 
proof of his work. This final proof being on a Proof Lesson Sheet, 
in an envelope, on which is printed the number and name of the divis- 
ion it proves. The student is now ready for work, and of course he 
is to commence on the first division. He is to become familiar with 
every thought in it. Then he is to apply the laws which have been 
revealed to him in the temple of expression. And as the result of 
applying those law r s, he is to decide upon what he considers the Prin- 
cipal Particles of Thought. After he has decided upon them, he is to 
underline them with a pencil. Before deciding upon them he is to 
make an effort to test the effect by reading the thoughts aloud, a 
number of times. 

All this being done, he is to leave the division, and is to make an 
effort, day by day, to form a stanza of verse, or a paragraph of prose, 
from standard literature, into a voice-tone painting — a different stanza 
or paragraph being used each day. He is to continue this exercise 
for several weeks, without recurring to the division, or giving it a 
thought. At the end of this " several weeks," he is to study the di- 
vision again for a few moments, and the probability is that he will find 
mistakes, which his developing artistic judgment will point out. The 
mistakes being corrected, he is to leave the division again, for several 
weeks, and is to study aloud other stanzas and paragraphs, in the same 
way as he did before, a different one each day. 

This being done, he again returns to the division, and the pre- 



I3 o RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART, 131 

sumption is that only one or two mistakes will be detected. After 
rectifying the mistakes, he once more leaves the division, for the same 
length of time, studies in exactly tin- Baffle way, and returns to the 
division. And by this time it ought to look quite correet. If such it 
appears to be, he is permitted to go into the Sealed Pocket, whei 
its proper envelope, will be found the Proof Lesson Sheet, on which 
the material he has been working on will be found, arranged into 
voice-tone paintings, accurately outlined according to the unvarying 
and ever-living principles of Light and Shadow, of Economy and Per- 
spective. The student is to study, consecutively, each and all of the 
remaining divisions, in the same method, and is to look for the final 
proof in the Sealed Pocket, just as he did before. And remember 
that all the stanzas and paragraphs and divisions are to be practiced 
aloud before a decision is made. 

All this independent exercising is to cultivate the artistic judg- 
ment, and to strengthen and enlarge the range of Economic insight — 
and eyesight. And this is an essential development, for the student at 
the beginning of work, can only see (mentally) a -portion of an aver- 
age sized voice-tone painting. This inability to see the entire painting 
accounts, in a measure, for the mistakes which his expanding vision 
can correct. 

It will be noticed that we have selected some of the well-known 
masterpieces of Literature for our material, and it is to be remembered 
that we submitted a very simple little poem for our first illustration. So 
this is the place to tell you that every selection in Literature, from the 
most simple to the most profound, are under the control of Economy 
and Perspective, which all means that if you can make one voice- 
tone painting, with an intelligent appreciation of how it was done, you 



I32 RECORD. 



TJI/< HEART OF ART 

can make another; it may require some study, but it tan certainly be 
done. 

And do but reflect that notwithstanding that your friend the Por- 
trait Painter has the most consummate! skill and knowledge to repro- 
duce a face on canvas, it always costs him some thought, and perhaps 
many alterations, before his artistic judgment assures him that the 
drawing is correct and that the coloring is also true to perfect nature. 

And now, my student, make an indelible note of what we are 
to impress upon you. True emphasis rests in the ability 

TO DELIVER THE COMPLETE THOUGHT BY THE VOICE IN A BLENDED 

perspective epfect. Or, in other words, to realize that the thought 
is to be pictured, and with a due regard for what has been suggested 
by the preceding picture or situation. Just what influence a " situa- 
tion " should have over a " reading " may be learned from correct 
work on the following " situation," and voice-tone painting, from 
Hamlet. (Grave-digger sings, and then throws out a skull). 

Hamlet. — "That skull had a tongue in it, and could sing once." 

Any one ignorant of the Economic and Perspective law of Nature, 
of Spontaneity will nearly alwa) s put into prominence the words "tongue'' 
and " sing." And indeed it is the constant violation of this same law 
— this simple yet wonderful principle of Expression, that precludes so 
many worthy pulpit, platform and stage aspirants from an exercise of 
their full power and sympathetic control. 

Now an application of this law would cause us to know that the 
"singing" of the grave-digger drew forth the remark from Hamlet, 
and as a result "singing" is an Understood Particle of Thought. 

The two words, " That skull," should be made prominent, the 
rest of the words being shaded or blended out of them. The cor- 



i 34 RECORD^ 



THE HEART OF ART. i i< 

rect rendition being " that skull had a tongue in it and could sing 
once," and at the same time the said " That skull"' can be indicated 
In an action of some kind. Test the effect with your voice, being 
careful to blend the words out of each other, and you will surely feel 
the full force of our observation. 

The student is especially warned against "blocking out" the 
Principal Particles, which is usually done by beginners who make them 
prominent by loudness. Abruptly changing our mode of explanation we 
would say it is sometimes a help to the student when we tell him that 
the Principal Particles should be treated as though made of India rub- 
ber, which means that they should be stretched out. 

The emphasis of a Master in the Art of Expression is usually so per- 
fect that his method is concealed from all but the initiated. You have 
been initiated. And just what is meant by all this instruction is clearly 
apparent if you listen to conversation with the fur fose of not i )io- 1 he for- 
mation of the thought and not the sense therein. And furthermore this 
study from nature will reveal to you the wonderf ul -potency of subduing 
words. You will perceive also that Economy of Voice-Tone means 
that one voice-tone painting very often anticipates or prepares the way 
for another; or, in other words, suggests something that will be con- 
tinued in the thought picture that comes after it, and when it does this 
the voice must be suspended between it and the one to follow. It 
may be necessary to suspend the voice from one picture to another 
for many pictures, for it sometimes requires a long series of them to 
reach the climax or end of the subject endeavor. 

Spontaneitv never fails to do this (and never forget during your 
whole course of studv that Spontaneity is the natural models. 



I3 6 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART 

A scrit-s of these kindred pictures, from "The Burial of M< 

helps us to make clear this part of our subject. 

Noiselessly as the daylight 

ik's when tlie night is done — 

And the crimson streak on ocean's cheek 
Grows into the great sun. — 

Noiselessly as the springtime 

Her crown of verdure weaves, — 

And all the trees on all the hills 

Open their thousand leaves. — 

So without sound of music 

Or voice of them that wept 
Silently down from the mountain's crown 

The great procession swept. 

The power to command this suspense of voice with ready ease 
can be acquired by the following exercise: Select a long sentence, 
speak it in a natural and vigorous manner; now speak all the sentence 
but the last word, serving the said last word as if you had " chopped '' 
it off the others; now speak all but the two last ones, " chopping " 
them off as you did the one. Continue "chopping" off, in this way, 
larger pieces of the sentence at each stroke of the voice, until you have 
only one word remaining. This exercise is one of the most important 
in the whole system of work. At the risk of offending the little ink 
autocrats of Literature, I will say — do not rely implicitly on " punctu- 
ation points," for they often stalk in where they don't belong, and 
thus misrepresent the thought. 

Again, and for the last time, let us correct or stop the rampant 
error which supposes that emphasis relies entirely on " emphatic 
words " for true expression. Instead of which let it be positively 
understood that the perfect emphasis is the perfect picture, which 



138 



RECORD. 



77/ E HEARl or ART. 

means that some Understood Particles arc- just as important as the 
Principal Particles on the principle that we can have no •• high light" 

without shadow. Tin- well-known lines, "Nothing useless Is or low; 
each thing in its place is best, and what seems but idle- show strength- 
ens and supports the rest,'" have kindly come to support the explana- 
tion. 

Just here, we would like to take the student by both hands, look 
him earnestly in the eyes, beekon in two or three directions, and say, 
"Companion, be assured that it is not our intention to split elocu- 
tionary hairs, or to provide an infinitesimal pair of reasoning 
scales to weigh Particles of Thought. We are merely endeavor- 
ing to trace the anatomy, the framework of the model, in an acute 
outline, which (hear me well) always melts or blends into the perfect 
whole, after the art of picturing with the voice has been mastered. 
And with this in mind we furnish extracts of literature instead of 
complete selections for our "material," which the student is soon to 
receive. For know, that in nearly every selection there are thought 
pictures which would only allow us to trace an indistinct outline of 
their form, an outline imperceptible to a beginner, whether he be a lit- 
erary prince or a literary pauper, and so we have only chosen those 
paragraphs and stanzas, through which the "drawing" can be seen- 
And then remember that we have assured you, that if you can make 
one picture with the voice you can make another. And do not con- 
found our term "Voice-Tone Painting," with that of "Word Paint- 
ing " for the term "Word Painting" suggests, to the avera. 
perception, a combination of esthetic or spread eagle thoughts 
painted red, white and blue — or orange. Know that our " Voice- 
Tone Drawing and Painting"* masters all lines and tints, and 



I4 o RECORD^ 



THE 1 1 EMIT OF ART i \\ 

is ever ready, with a few strokes of Art or Nature to prodw 

reproduce even a commonplace remark. Above many things we 
want you to acquire the ability to judge the natural worth of Par- 
ticles of Thought, comparison one to another, in a picture, at a proper 
mental DISTANCE FROM THE SUBJECT. And what is meant by this 
may be understood after we have placed, say a newspaper, about two 
hundred feet away from you, on level ground. You look at it and all 
you see is "something white." Advance toward it and you will per- 
ceive that there is a " black something " on its surface, nearer, and you 
will make out some of the large letters, a little nearer and you will 
notice the black lines. Advance again, pick it up, and the " news " 
is ready to pass into your mind, for you are at the proper distance 
from the subject matter — Now hold a newspaper close up against 
your eyes, and its contents are unintelligible to you, remove it a rea- 
sonable distance from them, likewise open to understanding. Now, 
gentle student, don't you see and feel that such a result and effect is 
equally true in the art of voice-tone painting ? Surely you do. If 
not — we hope and feel that earnest study and experience will make 
sensitive your artistic organization, and you will then be susceptible to 
the Truth we would impart. 

Even as we speak the Orb of Truth lights clearer our surroundings 
and a " droll little thing " is being driven toward us by true servants of 
Art. This "little thing" has four legs, long ears, loud asthmatic 
voice, and his name is Dogmatism. 

Panniers are thrown across his back and in them is securely 
packed for our students this fruitage — "When you have risen high 
enough in the Art of Expression to see and understand all of its 
proportions it maybe that your conception and production of a voice 



142 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART i \i 

tone painting may differ a little from ours, but, THE PRINCD7L] 
LIGHT AND SHADOW, OF ECONOMY and PERSPECTIVE, WILL REMAIN, 
THEY ARE UNCHANGEABLE AND ETERNAL." 

But, see, our parade of thoughts is nearly past — all past save one, and 
it carries a banner of silver sheen, on which glitters in purple and gold 

"TO WIN ME THOU MUST PERSEVERE." 

an edict heralded from our ever youthful — ravishing — half revealed 
— snowy veiled — passionate mind queen, enthroned in her Palace of 
Art. 



i 44 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART. i tf 



The Haterial. 

It seems hardly necessary to announce that the student, before 
commencing work, should be familiar with the selections from which 
our extracts for the material are taken. 

FIRST DIVISION. 
From " 'J'he Burial of Moses." 

This was the truest warrior 

That ever buckled sword; 
This the most gifted poet 

That ever breathed a word; 
And never earth's philosopher 

Traced with his golden pen 
On the deathless page, truths half so sage 

As he wrote down for men. 

— Mrs. C. F. Alexander 



i 4 6 RECORD. 



77/A' H7£ART OF ART, i \ 



>ND DIV1S] 

I n 'in •• '///, Ladv of / i •■ 

II thou wouldst have me paint 
The home to which, could love fulfil its praj 
This Land would had thee, listen! A deep vale 
Shutout by Alpine hills from the rude woild; 
Near a clear lake, maigin'd by fruits of gold 
And whispering myrtles; glassing softest skies, 
As cloudless, sa\e with lare and toseate shadows, 
As I would have thy fate! 

A palace lifting to eternal summer 
Its marble walls, from out a gl< ssy bower 
Of coolest foliage, musical with birds, 
Whose songs should syllable thy name! At m on 
We'd sit beneath the arching vines, and w< nder 
Why Earth could be unhappy, while the Heavens 
Still left us youth and love! We'd have no friends 
That were not lovers; no ambition, save 
To excel them all in love; we'd read no bo< ks 
That were not tales of love — that we might smile 
To think how poorly eloquence of words 
Translates the poetry of hearts like ours! 
And when night came, amidst the breathless heavens 
We'd guess what star should be our home when love 
Becomes immortal; while the perfumed light 
Stole through the mists of alabaster lamps. 
And every air was heavy with the sighs 
Of orange groves and music from sweet lutes. 
And murmurs of low fountains that gush forth 
I' the midst of roses! — Dost thou like the picture ? 

— Bubwer-Lytton . 



THIRD DIN [SIGN. 
From " The Reaper and tht Flowers, n 

Oh, not in cruelly, not in wrath, 

The Reaper came that day, 
'Twas an angel visited the green earth, 
And took the flowers away. 

— / 



i 4 8 RECORD. 



THE HEART OF ART, i ig 



FOI R Hi Dl\ I »ION. 

From the " Nautihk 

Build thee more stately mansions, O, my soul, 
be m\ ill seasons roll ! 
ave thy low-vaulted past! 

Let each uew temple, nobler than the last, 
Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, 

Till thou at length art tree, 
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea! 

— Ohver Would I Holmes. 



FIFTH DIVISION. 

From " Maud Midler." 

God pity them both! and pity us all, 
Who vainly the dreams of youth recall. 

For of all sad words of tongue or pen, 

The saddest are these: " It might have been!" 

Ah, well! for us all some sweet hope lies 
Deeply buried from human eyes; 

And, in the hereafter, angels may 
Roll the stone from its grave away! 

—J. G. Wkittur. 



SIXTH DIVISION. 

From « The Ele± 

Full many a gem of purest ray, serene 

The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear; 

Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, 
And waste its sweetness on the desert air. 

Far from the madding crowd's ignoble stiife, 
Their sober wishes never learned to stray; 

Along the cool sequestered vale of life 

They kept the noiseless tenor of their way. 

— Thomas Cray 



i 5 o RECORD. 



THE HEART or ART. 



Scale for an - \ccurate yudgment 

OF 

ORATORICAL AND ELOCUTIONARY CONTEST. 



Namcs of Contestants. 


li 

• 

* 

J 

U y 

u I 

o »- 

5 n 

> o 


Gesture Expression 
or the Thought. 


i 



< 

c 
c 
< 


1- 
z 
y 
1 

h 
C 


E 
u 
Q 

c 



b. 
H 
4 
J 

a. 


O 

k. 

u 

J 
« 
E 
u 
Z 
u 
O 


z 



< 
J 
3 
U 

K 
K 
< 


1 


■ 


A 
S 


u 


TOTAL 



















































































































































































It will be noticed that there are seven parts to the scale. 

All of the parts are to be used in judging oratory, where the composition is origi 
nal. In judging declamations the " composition " part is omitted. 

There must be seven judges for oratory. Six judges for declamations. 

Each judge must decide only one part of the scale. 

In marking, 100 is to be considered PERFECT. And the judges are to use 
their discretion in marking up toward perfection. 

The judges should hand in their scales to their Chairman without consultation. 
The orate«fc8 and declamations should be limited to a certain length of time. The 
many advantages of this scale and arrangement cannot fail to be realized. 



i 5 2 RECORD. 



RECORD. 



i 54 RECORD. 



REt OA'/J. 



i S 6 RECORD. 



RECORD. 1=7 



LEJe32 



iG*ess 



